A warning to all ye cookie decorators, the leprechaun is a wee bit more time-consuming, but I included him by special request for a reader (just for “Autumn in Philly”!) Find instructions for each cookie separately, but if you make several or all of the above, be mindful that some of the same colors are used for different cookies (so no need for duplicate supplies).

what to do:1. Bake cookies: Roll out your chilled cookie dough according to the recipe. Cut out 2 to 3-inch squares. Trim the edges as shown with a sharp knife to make a pint glass shape. Bake according to recipe and let cool completely.

2. Prepare frosting and make three colors (about 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of each, depending on how many cookies you make, make the most of dark brown): white, black and dark brown. You will need lots of drops of each to achieve the colors. Prepare three frosting bags with couplers and decorating tips, fill the white with a “3” tip, the black with a “3” tip and the brown with a “4” tip. Tie closed tightly with rubber bands.

3. Decorate: Pipe the outline with black and let set about 15 minutes. Outline the foam with white and pipe the white frosting back and forth to entirely fill the foam area (in picture, foam is tan). Outline and pipe back and forth with dark brown frosting to completely fill the glass. Let dry overnight if wrapping or packaging.

what to do:1. Bake your cookies. Roll out your chilled cookie dough according to the recipe. Cut out circles and bake according to recipe.

2. Prepare frosting and make 2 colors (about 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of each, depending on how many cookies you make): use leaf green to make a bright green and use the electric green to make lime. Prepare two frosting bags with couplers and decorating tips, fill each with a green and tie closed tightly with a rubber band.

3. Decorate: Pipe a swirl with one color green. Let set about 15 minutes. Pipe another swirl to fill the remaining cookie with the other green. Let set overnight to dry if wrapping or packaging.

(time-saving tip, you can omit the Purple, like I did, and they still look rainbow-y)

what to do:1. Bake your cookies. Roll out your chilled cookie dough according to the recipe. Cut out circles, cut off the bottom third of the circle with a knife and bake according to recipe. Let cool completely.

2. Prepare frosting and make 6 colors (about 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of each, depending on how many cookies you make): red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. Prepare six frosting bags with couplers and decorating tips, fill with each color and tie closed tightly with a rubber band.

3. Decorate: Pipe arches with each color. If you use a size 5 tip, you will likely only need to pipe one line per color. Let set overnight to dry if wrapping or packaging.

what to do:1. Bake your cookies. Roll out your chilled cookie dough according to the recipe. Cut out circles and bake according to recipe.

2. Prepare frostingand make yellow (about 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of each, depending on how many cookies you make). Prepare frosting bag with coupler and decorating tip, fill with yellow and tie closed tightly with a rubber band.

3. Decorate: Working with one cookie at a time, pipe a yellow circle and fill cookie completely by piping back and forth (don’t worry about seeing the lines, the sprinkles will cover them). Immediately coat the top with a generous sprinkling of sprinkles. Shake off excess. Let set overnight to dry if wrapping or packaging.

what to do:1. Bake your cookies. Roll out your chilled cookie dough according to the recipe. Cut out gingerbread men, but don’t fully press down the head…instead, add a small square with your sharp knife to the top of the head (cutting out around the head, too, if needed). Bake according to recipe. Let cool completely.

2. Prepare frosting and make 7 colors (about 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of each, depending on how many cookies you make): black, peach (start with only one drop, you won’t need much), yellow, orange, bright green (use leaf green coloring), lime green (use electric green), and white. Prepare 7 frosting bags with couplers and decorating tips, and fill with each color. (See decorating instructions for what size tip goes with what color). Tie tightly with a rubber band.

3. Decorate: (TIP: Click picture above to enlarge to see detail.) Outline design shown using black with size “3” tip. Let set about 15 minutes. Fill with colors shown using size “3” or size “4” tips. (hat, coat and pants with bright green/beard orange/hat band and vest with lime/face and hands with peach/undershirt and leggings white/shoes black). Switch tips on orange, black and yellow to size “2”s. When background has set about 20 minutes, pipe face with black, pipe stripes on vest with orange and yellow, and pipe buckles on shoes and hat with yellow. Let dry overnight if wrapping or packaging.

Thanks again all! Rachel, you are way too kind to me (but I'll take it! Love your roundups, thanks!). Jen, this is such a good question, I'll be adding this info on the dough and frosting post, too. I freeze my dough ALL the time. Right after I make it, I simply put the dough right in a gallon size Freezer ziploc and stick in the freezer. Then, move it to the fridge for a few hours or overnight to thaw, then set out at room temperature until it's pliable, maybe an hour or so. Chilled dough is good for cut-out cookies, so you don't have to wait til it's at room temp. It shouldn't be too mushy or over-pliable, if it's a little hard still, it will get workable as you knead it.

These look delicious. I would love to be able to get the knack of that icing teqnique and your tips on defrosting are very helpful too 😉One thing I will mention though, to us Irish "St. Patty's day" is not a good abrieviation – St Patrick was a dude! Paddy's day is totally acceptable however.

Thanks! Look, Edana, I changed it! Silly me, I knew that, what was I thinking turning St. P into a girl? And I'm part Irish! No sweat, Jen, I have a 2-year old "helper" myself so rely on small windows of time to do things. I just remembered, too, if you go to the right hand column, click on the "help" button, and scroll down to Kay's question, I talk alllll about freezing. You can't freeze the actual frosting, but you can decorate the cookies and freeze those.